"The Last Phone Booth in Manhattan" by Beth Merlin and Danielle Modafferi is a charming and nostalgic exploration of connection in a digital age. The story revolves around a quirky phone booth that becomes a symbol of communication and human interaction for a diverse group of characters in New York City. As each person navigates their own challenges, the booth serves as a meeting point for unexpected encounters and heartfelt moments.

Merlin and Modafferi’s writing is warm and witty, capturing the vibrant energy of Manhattan while delving into the characters’ lives with empathy. The narrative weaves together themes of nostalgia, friendship, and the importance of genuine connections, reminding readers of the power of communication beyond screens.

With its engaging plot and relatable characters, "The Last Phone Booth in Manhattan" is a delightful read that celebrates the beauty of human connections in a rapidly changing world. It’s a heartwarming tribute to the little things that bring us together and a perfect pick for anyone looking for an uplifting and reflective story.

This was absolutely amazing! I was totally enthralled with this story from beginning to end, I could barely put it down, and when I finally read the last page, the house was dark, I was hungry, thirsty, needed to pee and my neck was stiff. But damn, it was worth it!

Oh I just loved this book as it was unique, quirky, witty, adventurous and so much fun. The story, the characters and the magic of this book really drew me in and once I got started I was transported to the pages of this book. This is what a good book should do.

Love the phone booth and Avery was a great character, trying to find her way. The writing of this story is great and it is so easy to follow but it has the depth you want from a good book so you don't get bored. A fabulous read.

Thank you NetGalley and Montlake for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Avery has lost everything when she discovers her fiancé is a fraudster. She's got no home and no money and no job. She ends up at the last phone booth in Manhattan and is given an address to go to and meets her ex boyfriend Gabe.

This was such a unique story line. I liked it. I had some wonderful laugh out loud scenes. But it was so good. I was highly entertained.

I liked this book. It wasn't groundbreaking or anything, but it was a good read. I liked the characters, I liked the basis of the story. I'd read more from this author.

This is a very warm, heartfelt and engaging story! I loved the premise, the characters and the plot!

The Last Phone Booth in Manhattan by Beth Merlin and Danielle Modafferi tells the story of Avery Lawrence whose fiance's true identity is revealed and he's arrested for fraud. Now Avery is left alone outside the prison on Christmas Day without her phone or wallet, leading her to stumble out of the cold and into a phone booth. First this phone booth mysteriously leads her to a boyfriend she thought she had moved on from. Then the phone booth leads her to a life-changing audition for an upcoming musical. Now Avery is convinced that the phone booth is responsible for the sudden onslaught of good things that have been happening in her life. She decides that perhaps she can rewrite her future using this phone booth. But of course Avery has to decide if she is going to follow her heart or her dreams.

This book was okay, but just okay. I thought it was a bit slow and dragged on. I thought that the FMC was a little annoying and whiny. I also thought that there was a little too many musical theatre references. This one wasn't really a Christmas book. And it wasn't really a romance. It didn't live up to what I thought it would be or what it claimed to be.

Thank you for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This book was just so good!
It is not a thriller but it has you thinking on what's going to happen now all the time.
It is not a romance, but the bit of it, it's all about how she learns through her relationships how to love herself a little bit more each time.
The magic we experience through the phone booth... it's awesome. And it helps her, it's not only there to make the book a little bit more interesting. The hints the booth gives her are useful, even if we don't understand it immediately.

Apart from the great plot, the writing style is superb. I really enjoy trying to understand this girl. I even enjoyed when I totally disagree with ther. I didn't need another point of view to better understand the story, this was all about her and her journey to remember who she was, whos she is and who will she become.

Please, keep writing like this. I will love to read more from you in the future... If it's in a very near future, it will be awesome.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
This book actually had a really strong start but did slowly lose focus and the quality of the plot progression started to fade fairly quickly. I do think the plot would have been a lot stronger if a bit more focus was put on the situation with her ex. For a person who was lied to and frauded in such a dramatic manner and also ended up being raided by the police, the MC bounces back pretty fast. While the romance is sweet in concept, it did lack proper progression and build up to get me properly invested.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

Avery has hit rock bottom When she learns her fiance's true identity, she starts searching for answers. She stumbles upon the last phone booth in Manhattan. The voice on the phone sends her to her college boyfriend's doorstep. Her second encounter with the phone booth sends her to the address of a place where auditions are being held for a new musical based on A Christmas Carol. Similarities between the musical and her life lead her to realize she needs to reconcile with "the one that got away". She finally takes control of her life and follows her dreams. Thanks to @NetGalley for the very enjoyable ARC of this book.

This is not really a romance. It’s more of an empowering story of a woman realizing she doesn’t need a man. Which sounds good in theory, but I was bored.

The beginning was very good and then I got bored. I did not feel the chemistry between her and Gabe at all. I guess that was the point? But it just made it boring.

I also was under the impression it would be Christmas themed and it was not. It was based on a Christmas Carol by Dickens, but it just was about like the future/past/present stuff. There was no actual christmas vibe. It takes place all throughout the year, which is fine, just surprised me.

Overall, this book wasn’t for me. I think it would appeal more to an older reader like middle aged woman based on the writing style. Maybe someone who likes broadway? Lots of acting/broadway/singing. It was overkill for me personally.

I wasn’t sure how I would like this book so I just decided to give it a try. I was hooked from the first page and I really enjoyed it! Avery was a delightful character and I loved seeing her journey from rock bottom to finding her voice and place in life. You couldn’t help but root for her. The supporting cast was excellent. I adored Charlie, Lyla, Sevyn, Oak, Gabe and the little we got to see of Marisol. This was a heartfelt, coming of age story that included magical realism, love, second chances, friendship, and learning what’s important in life! What a great read!

Who doesn't love a magical phone booth, especially a magical phone booth set in NYC at Christmas!?

This quick, whimsical read tackles rediscovering love AND self thanks to a few nudges from a magical phone booth. As a musical and Broadway fan, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and thank Netgalley along with the authors and publishers for the opportunity to read Avery's tale!

Avery Lawrence thought she had it all—a charming fiancé, a Broadway-themed star-studded engagement, and a picture-perfect life. But when her fraudster of a fiancé’s true identity is exposed and he’s hauled away in handcuffs, Avery’s world comes crashing down faster than the chandelier in Phantom of the Opera. Left stranded on Christmas Day outside the federal prison without her cell phone or wallet, Avery stumbles out of the cold and into the last phone booth in Manhattan. With nothing left to lose, Avery is directed by a mysterious voice on the line to the doorstep of the college boyfriend she thought she’d moved on from over six years ago.

When a second encounter with the phone booth leads Avery to a life-changing audition for Marley Is Dead, a new musical based on Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, Avery is blown away by the striking similarities between the show and her own life. Convinced the phone booth is somehow responsible for reuniting her with “the one that got away” and reigniting her acting career, maybe she will finally have the chance to rewrite her future. But as she grapples with the ghosts of her past and the uncertainty of her present, Avery must decide whether to follow her heart or pursue her dream.

I really enjoyed this story from start to finish.

Thank you to Montlake and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I could not get invested in this one. I tried getting into it on multiple occasions, and finally decided at 20% in to DNF it. It was a quick read (of what I did read) but I was just not engaged with the story or the characters. I'm sure plenty of people will find this to be an enjoyable read, but it just was not for me.

It was not a romance ☹️

I felt like a lot of it was drawn out and too long. I did not finish. I was hopeful but it just wasn’t giving me what I needed from this book.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6268167915
I absolutely loved this book. The characters were so much fun and I loved the Broadway references. It was such a fun read and it kept me guessing as to what would happen next. Such a fun, new take on romance with an essence of magic!

What do you do when you find out your boyfriend of 6 years, who just proposed, is actually a fraud wanted by the FBI?
You go back to your college boyfriend who you haven't seen in 7 years. Obviously.
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As much I didn't like the rushed pace of Avery and Gabe's relationship, I started to accept it because of the magical element.
In normal circumstances, I'd have been confused why Avery went from marrying Adam to dating Gabe. However, I understood her how she felt it was her second chance, not only with Gabe but her life in general.
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Avery was kind of an average character. I didn't dislike her particularly, but I was definitely not impressed. One thing that I loved about her was the dry sense of humor, her sarcasm won me over.
Gabe, on the other hand, was like a cartoon character. With how much his character is important in the book, he felt like a side character. He was just there to do the job, a lesson in Avery's life.
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The plot wasn't really strong or captivating, at times it felt like a fairytale. It just lacked something to get it more magical and engaging.
Till I was 95% in, the book was a solid 2 stars, 3 if I'm feeling generous.
Until the ending happened. I absolutely loved the conclusion, it was one where the author articulated a good point that others usually shied from. It was really touching to see what Avery accomplished and the decisions she made definitely redeemed her in my eyes.
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Overall, I think it's a good book. It's not really my style but I liked it enough. Would recommend to people looking for a palate cleanser after a heavy book.
*I received an ARC of this book through netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*